{London,] 2 April? 1867 

Dear Engels, 

I had resolved not to write to you until I could announce 
completion of the book,“ which is now the case. Nor did I wish to 
bore you by explaining the further delay, viz., carbuncles on my 
posterior and near the penis, the final traces of which are now 
fading but which made it extremely painful for me to adopt a 
sitting (hence writing) posture. | am not taking arsenic because it 
dulls my mind too much and I needed to keep my wits about me 
at least at those times when writing was possible. 

Next week I shall have to take the manuscript to Hamburg 
myself.*"? I did not like the tone of Mr Meissner’s last letter. 
Added to which, I received the enclosed scrawl from Borkheim 
yesterday. I have every reason to believe that the ‘continental 
friend’ is Mr Privy Councillor Bucher.*’ Borkheim had written 
him a letter, you know, which he read out to me, about his 
arrangements for travelling to Silesia, which he wishes to visit on 
family business. Bucher replied directly. I therefore scent a plot 
behind these canards and will have to put the knife to Meissner’s 

a The end of this letter is missing. - > The original has: 27 March. - © the first 
volume of Capital 

breast myself. Otherwise, the fellow would be in a position to hold 
back my manuscript (some 25 closely printed proof-sheets by my 
reckoning) and, at the same time, not have it printed on the 
pretext that he was ‘awaiting’ the second volume.™? 

I must now d’abord* reclaim my clothes and timepiece from their 
abode at the pawnbroker’s. I can also hardly leave my family in 
their present situation, they being sans sou? and the creditors 
becoming more brazen each day. Finally, before I forget, all the 
money that I could afford to spend on Laura’s champagne- 
treatment has gone the way of all flesh. She now needs red wine, 
of better quality than I can command. Voila la situations 

Our ‘Inrernationat” has just celebrated a great victory. We were 
providing financial support from the London Trade-Unions for the 
Paris bronze workers, who were out on srrike. AS soon as the 
masters learnt of that, they gave in.*’* The affair has created a 
deal of commotion in the French papers, and we are now an 
established force in France. 

It appears to me there must have been collusion between 
Bismarck and Bonaparte over the Luxemburg affair. It is possible, 
though improbable, that the former either cannot or will not keep 
his word.’ That the Russians have been meddling in German 
affairs ts crystal clear from: 

1. the treaty between Wiuirttemberg and Prussia, which was 
already concluded on 13 August before all the others; 

2. Bismarck’s demeanour in respect of the Poles. 

The Russians are more active than ever. They are setting the 
stage for trouble between France and Germany. Austria is pretty 
well paralysed in herself. Our English gentlemen are about to be 
led a fine song and dance in the United States. 

Salut. 
Your 
K. M.